An Aura of Hope
by plainvanella
Summary: An Aura of Hope is the story of a Riolu, Aurora, and a Zorua, Shadow. They are raised like siblings and, despite the unusual conditions, are finely attuned to one another. When they forge a rescue team together, their adventures lead to discoveries that threaten to sever their closeness and shake their perception of what is truly real.
1. Prologue - An Autumn Afternoon

Brittle, colorful autumn leaves coated the forest floor like a flood, reaching up to Shadow's belly as the young Zorua dragged himself throughout the woods with the tedious responsibility of gathering food for his family. He hated this time of year. Berries were scarce, going out of season, and increasingly difficult to come across, but he was too young and too weak to search much farther than the woods outside his tiny home. He struggled to push the thick coats of dead leaves aside each day as he scoured the woods for any bud or sprout that hadn't yet shriveled up and fallen to the ground. Anything to fill his bag.

Amidst the sea of orange and brown, he made out a hint of something blue, barely visible above the surface. He could barely believe his eyes. Had he found a ripe Oran Berry? He couldn't recall Oran Berries growing in this area of the woods, but he didn't stop to question it. He abandoned all caution and approached it greedily in a sprint. Anything to fill his bag.

He leaped into the air recklessly and extended his claws, prepared to sink them into the surface of the bright, fresh berry. Anything to fill his bag.

"Ow!" He heard it from beneath his paw. He snapped out of his ravenous daze and looked down. His claws were sunk into the forehead of a Riolu. He had just initiated a battle with a Riolu. He quickly removed his claws from its forehead and leaped away, praying he hadn't made her mad.

"I'm sorry!" He wailed. Head spinning for an ideal route of escape, he dug beneath the leaves and buried himself, curling into a ball and hushing his breath. He went still. Was she mad?

He heard the shifting of leaves. Something was moving, and it was moving toward him. His body went stiff. She was moving slowly, with erratic steps. He knew Riolu weren't fully capable of using aura to locate other Pokemon, but such a young Riolu traveling without a pack nearby was unheard of. Even if this one wasn't strong enough to fight, there were bound to be at least a few Lucario nearby who were more than capable.

The leaves above him shifted as she threw them to the side. He closed his eyes and covered his head in one last attempt at self-defense. His body was trembling. He was even tearing up.

"You dropped this." He recoiled as the weight of his nearly-empty fabric bag fell onto his body. The sound of the Riolu's footsteps grew distant as she stumbled away. He risked opening an eye. He was alone. The sound of the Riolu trudging through the leaves had stopped. He abandoned his defensive position and sat up. Had he been spared?

Sitting up, he scanned the forest around him, and flinched when he saw the distant silhouette of the Riolu. She loomed a few feet away from him, back turned and nose pointed to the sky, watching the setting sun. Shadow swallowed his cowardice and approached her.

When he stood by its side, he opened his mouth to ask a question, but found himself unable. Instead, all he could manage was an abrupt "Thank you."

She turned her red irises down to look at him for a brief second, scanning over his features before returning her focus to the horizon, nodding sympathetically. "Where am I?" she whispered, her face contorting to a muddled grimace.

Shadow stared into the horizon with her, wondering what had fascinated the Riolu so thoroughly. "If it helps you any, you're in a forest on the outskirts of Diamondfrost Town."

She glared down at him, her teeth clenched. "D-Diamondfrost Town?" The Zorua nodded quickly, averting his eyes. She groaned, fumbling backward and holding her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Shadow, approaching her side as it fell to the ground. "Does your head still hurt from where I attacked you?"

She shook her head. "Before... It hurt before..."

"Do you want something to help with that?" She nodded.

The Zorua reached into his bag and produced a small, stiff Sitrus Berry from beneath the fabric. "It might be a little bitter, it's not exactly ripe, but it'll help with the pain." He pressed the berry into her palm, and she squeezed her eyes shut before swallowing it whole

She gagged, "Bitter... What was that?"

"A- A Sitrus Berry," he answered, not wasting a second on hesitation.

"But my head," she muttered, her eyes falling open, "it doesn't hurt anymore! Thank you!" The Riolu was now beaming with gratitude.

He smiled. "It was the least I could have done. You kinda spared my life."

Her smile faded as she looked away. "Where exactly did you say I was, again?"

"A forest on the outskirts of Diamondfrost Town," he repeated, tilting his head.

She shook her head, looking down at the bed of leaves that covered her feet as if it provided any answers to the questions she couldn't verbalize. She gave a frustrated sigh and kicked them to the side.

"You don't know where to go from here, do you?" She shook her head. "Do you want somewhere to stay?"

Again, she shook her head. "Please, you've already done more than enough for me. I can figure out somewhere to go, but thank you for your offer."

"No, really, it's no bother to me. Winter's coming soon, you'll need somewhere to stay," he insisted. "Do you even know how to fight?"

She let a silent moment pass before she looked back at him. "Where is your home?"

*~*~_

The Riolu flinched at the sudden scene of a Houndoom breathing a massive blaze into a stone fireplace. Her new friend had only just opened the door to his wooden hut, and already she was rethinking her decision to stay here. Over the roar of the fire, neither the Houndoom nor the Zoroark who stood safely behind him had noticed the entry of the two children, but if she ran, where would she run off to?

She looked to the Zorua for reassurance, who grinned sheepishly. She could tell from what she could read of his aura that he was pleading her to stay. She couldn't argue with the sincerity in his expression, so she followed him as he stepped inside.

"I'm home!" he shouted over the crackling blaze his father had set to keep the house warm, slinging his bag off of his shoulder and handing it to the Zoroark, who took it with a sweet smile.

"Welcome home, Shadow," she greeted. "Who is this you've brought with you?" The Zoroark, while still maintaining her grin, eyed over the Riolu suspiciously.

"She's--" he started.

"I'm lost," the Riolu admitted, "and he offered to let me stay here. I promise not to burden you, ma'am." She bowed her head politely in a gesture that Shadow hadn't expected.

"Have you gone missing from your pack?" she asked.

The Riolu tilted her head. "Pack?"

"Surely you must come from a pack, you're a Riolu. You can't be from Diamondfrost because only Ice-Types live there, so you must be living with other Riolu and Lucario. They have to be searching for you out there," she reasoned.

"What is this about a pack of Riolu and Lucario?" the Houndoom snapped, turning away from his fire and taking notice of Shadow's friend.

"Shadow brought home this little Riolu that says she's lost, and I think she's been separated from her pack," the Zoroark explained.

"No she hasn't," the Houndoom growled. "Lucario can see aura from half a mile away at least, if they wanted to find her, they'd be here by now. If she had a pack, they must've abandoned her."

Despite the heat, the Riolu shivered, legs shaking and lip quivering. The Zoroark took notice of her and immediately cooed, "Poor thing. We ought to take her in."

"We hardly have enough to feed the three of us, we can't handle another kid!" the Houndoom roared, shaking the branches that composed his house.

"Oh, but where else will she go? You can't tell me you'd let her back outside to fend for herself. It's coming on Winter," the Zoroark pleaded.

The Houndoom grumbled, wrinkling his snout as he glanced briefly at the Riolu. "Does she have a name?"

The Zoroark grinned, but kept silent and turned eagerly to the Riolu for a response. A hush fell down upon the household of four as the Riolu squinted her eyes, deep in thought. Eventually, she gave up and shook her head. "I don't."

"I say we call her Aurora!" suggested the Zoroark.

"It's aura that Lucario control, Crimson, not aurora," the Houndoom growled.

"I know, I know, I just think that Aurora's a pretty name," she reasoned. "And, you know, the auroras should be showing up any time now around here. It's fitting."

"I'd hardly call it fitting--"

"I like it," the Riolu interrupted, then added after a worried glance toward the Houndoom, "Pardon."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, if Aurora's gonna be staying with us, we better start preparing something to eat."


	2. Chapter 1 - First Adventure

"Stay close, Aurora," urged Shadow. "Don't get lost out here."

"I am, I am," mumbled Aurora, following Shadow's trail through the fallen leaves. As autumn progressed, the sea of foliage grew deeper and its colors drained to brown. The crunch of leaves beneath her feet grew noisier with their decay, and Aurora couldn't help but wonder why Shadow worried for her when he must be able to hear the sounds of her footsteps. She looked up to the tree branches above her, spindly and bare, with narrowed eyes. There wasn't a berry in sight. "Not like there's anywhere around here I'd run off to, anyway..."

"Yeah, I know, but my dad'll kill me if I lose you. He doesn't really trust me to forage for berries on my own. Says I've been coming home with too little lately," Shadow admitted, making his best effort to keep his head high. Aurora could tell it was tough for him.

"It's not your fault the forest's empty," Aurora reassured. "Besides, I'm not sure how much of a difference I'll make if there aren't any berries left to find."

"We've got to find some," argued Shadow. "We can't just head home empty handed. My dad'll--"

"That's ridiculous," interrupted Aurora. "We've searched all over this forest three times over! Where are we supposed to get berries from?" She groaned loudly, kicking aside a pile of withered leaves.

"Well, there's still somewhere we could look, but..." Shadow's words trailed off, his nose pointed to the ground.

"What do you mean there's somewhere left to look?" asked Aurora.

"Well, I've kinda been avoiding it, but there's a place called Berry Forest around here that's completely separate from our seasons. It's Summer all year round in there, so berries are always fresh and ready to be picked there," Shadow explained, "but my dad really doesn't want me going in there. Says if I went into a Mystery Dungeon like that by myself I'd never come out."

"A Mystery Dungeon?" Aurora questioned. "What's that?"

Shadow smirked. "Have you never heard of Mystery Dungeons?" Aurora shook her head. "They're like mazes, where wild Pokemon live and usually attack anyone that goes in. They're usually only explored by Rescue Teams because it's a Rescue Team's job to brave them in hopes of making discoveries or helping other Pokemon." A wide grin spread across his face and his eyes shimmered as he continued, "I've always wanted to be on a Rescue Team, even though my dad doesn't think I could, but," his expression dulled, "every guild I've applied to rejected me."

Aurora stepped to his side. "He might not have wanted you to go alone, but I'll be with you. I'm sure we'll be fine if we go together. The two of us could be like a Rescue Team."

A moment passed in which neither Pokemon spoke. Aurora held her breath. Without warning, Shadow sprinted through the leafy sea and called for Aurora to follow.

With a grin, Aurora gave chase. "At least tell me before you take of running!" she teased.

"Sorry!" shouted Shadow. "It's a little far into the woods, so it'll be faster if we run."

Aurora's surroundings didn't seem to change, no matter how far she ran. As far as she could see, she was surrounded by hundreds of skeletal trees and thousands of browning leaves. She began to doubt Shadow's words, until he arrived at a pair of trees that still held their bright leaves, vibrant and verdant. Between them stretched a patch of soft, green grass, in the midst of the sea of wither and decay. "Is that it? Berry Forest is just two trees?"

Smirking widely, Shadow shook his head. "No, that's just the entrance." He leaped between the two trunks, vanishing from Aurora's sight within seconds. She followed after him, hesitantly, and the fallen leaves that she had grown used to seeing had disappeared, replaced with a plush carpet of grass. Plump, brightly-colored berries hung profusely from the trees around her, which were no longer gaunt and bare but coated in leaves of deep greens. A pleasant warmth surrounded her. Aurora blindly scanned her surroundings, consumed with disbelief.

"Here we are," announced Shadow, whose voice surprised Aurora, having seemingly come from nowhere. She searched the vegetation for him, to no avail.

"Where are you?" she demanded. "I can't see you!" As she frantically scanned the forest, she felt something hit the top of her head, having fallen from above. She turned her head to the ground, where a round, bright Pecha Berry rested in the grass between her feet. She shifted her eyes upward, toward a massive Pecha tree with a Treecko lounged in its branches, arms filled with more of the pink fruits.

It chuckled, and spoke in a familiar voice, "Relax, Aurora, it's just me!" With a bright, cyan glow, the Treecko's figure shifted until it took on the silhouette of a Zorua, and from that light, Shadow emerged. "It was just an illusion, so I wouldn't get attacked by the wild Pokemon."

Clutching her chest, Aurora sighed. "Don't do that, you scared me," she mumbled. She reached to the forest floor for the Pecha Berry, which felt soft in her hands, completely unlike the unripe berries she had grown accustomed to, and took a bite. Its sweet pulp filled her mouth, flooding her senses with the sweet juice. Its flavor was completely unlike the unripe berries she had grown accustomed to. She savored it, possibly crying. Shadow wasn't paying attention; he had already resumed his disguise and continued plucking berries from the tree.

Aurora left behind the pit of her Pecha Berry and climbed a nearby tree with countless tiny Cheri Berries dangling from the branches like pearls. She would pick a handful and put them into her bag, and then stuff the next handful into her mouth, enamored by the flavor of anything but bitter. How could something like this have existed without her knowing? How could she ever eat another unripe berry?

Her bag was heavy on her shoulder, filled with vibrant Cheri Berries, and she struggled to fasten it shut over them. Aurora devoured another handful of Cheri Berries before leaping down to the forest floor. "Haboh?" she called, her mouth still filled with berries. She swallowed, "Where are you?"

Hearing a faint rustle from a bush to her right and remembering Shadow's warnings, Aurora stepped back and took a defensive stance. Several Pidgey crowded around, accompanied by a loudly cawing Pidgeoto and sending forceful gusts of wind into the shrub and slicing its branches. Not one of them noticed Aurora as she walked by, and she would have been content to have done so, had she not heard a familiar calling of her name. He leaped out from the mangled sticks and scratched at the bird Pokemon with what force he could muster forth. He repeated himself, "Aurora, help me!"

Eyes wide and clueless, Aurora could do nothing but stand still. She had no clue how to fight, but still Shadow called out for her help. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, and raced toward the bush in a way that only felt instinctual. "Use Quick Attack!" The steps came faster and faster until she could no longer feel the movement. Faintly, she made out the fluttering grey figures that surrounded a quivering, yellow form. She was approaching rapidly, launching her entire body into the Pidgeotto, sending it hurling into a nearby tree. The rest scattered shortly after, darting away with haste. Aurora heaved deep breaths, collapsing on her knees next to her friend.

"Thanks, Aurora," Shadow chuckled. She nodded. "I think I disturbed a nest or something while I was picking berries. I think I got a few cuts and bruises, but I think I'll be fine." She nodded again, gasping heavily. Shadow got up and adjusted his bag around his neck, "We should really get going before they come back." She nodded.

The warmth was gone. Aurora and Shadow were back in their world of autumn, headed to their wooded home with bags bursting with berries. Aurora could only feel exhaustion, and, as much as Shadow fought to maintain his exuberance, he couldn't help but feel the same. It would be a long Winter if they were to venture Berry Forest day after day.

Aurora didn't even flinch at the explosion of flames that met her when she arrived home anymore. She and Shadow left their collections by the fireplace as they were expected to since Aurora's arrival, and waited in silence for Crimson's return. The two didn't have to say a word to agree not to mention their brief outing in Berry Forest.

"I'm impressed with you kids," Igneous admitted, taking notice of their findings. "Didn't think there was much left out in the wilderness, definitely not this much." Aurora nodded, eying Shadow nervously. "You'd been coming up real short lately, I was worried we'd have to ask Crimson to pick up even more while she was out in Diamondfrost. Where'd you find 'em, anyway?" He grinned, but there was a distinct sneer in his eyes. Aurora and Shadow exchanged a nervous glance. "You two did stay in the woods, right? You didn't wander off?"

Aurora bit her lip anxiously, nodding her head. Igneous narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak again, the door flung open, and from it, a bright white light poured in. Crimson was home, and she had abandoned her illusion at the door. Even though this was an everyday occurrence, Aurora still squinted long after the light faded. Crimson didn't bother announcing her arrival. She dropped her bag of berries at Igneous's feet. "Even the stores are running low on stock," she told him. "I negotiated for as much as I could, but the markets aren't getting that many shipments this time of year."

"Well, luckily, the kids came across quite the discovery today," Igneous remarked, pouring the berries from Aurora and Shadow's bags into a sizeable mound before the fireplace. Crimson couldn't help letting her mouth water a little. "Unfortunately, they won't tell me where they found it, or else--"

"I don't care," interjected Crimson. She smiled, winking discreetly in Aurora and Shadow's direction. "As long as we've got food on the table tonight, I don't care where it came from. Come on, kids, let's have something to eat."

Sighing lightly, Aurora took a Pecha Berry. "Thank you."

Crimson chuckled. "You were the one that found it, kid. Thank you."


	3. Chapter 2 - Real Rescue Teams

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!" cried a desperate voice. Her fear was tangible within the Aura Pokémon that gave his all to defend her, his energy surging out of control. When she was scared, he had no choice but to be confident, and he was absolutely valiant. All the emotions shared by it and its partner reverberated through the orb he launched at his opponent. Effortlessly, it tossed the glowing ball to the side. It was far too strong for the both of them to so much as scratch. This was to be the end. Not one of them could see a thing, and all went silent.

The hour was late, and yet Aurora woke with a start, heart racing, breath shallow. She held her paws to her heaving chest until she had soothed herself. Her fur was drenched in a cold sweat. She felt as if she had almost drowned. She turned her head to her side; Shadow was fast asleep. It was only a dream, she was safe here in her home, but still her mind raced. She rose shakily to her feet, setting out for a walk to settle her thoughts. The snow was thick on the ground, she had nothing more than her short fur to keep warm, and a set of footprints started just outside her door. Had someone left in the night? She followed them to Diamondfrost.

The town was quiet at night. It had only just occurred to her that Aurora was alone. She had never visited Diamondfrost on her father's orders, but she felt the lifelessness regardless. There were countless stone houses with their curtains drawn, and the wooden counters typically occupied by merchants and traders were entirely abandoned.

"And I can have it?" inquired a distant voice. Aurora quickly detected its owner, a trembling white and yellow Meowstic. Before it stood a familiar Houndoom. Aurora quickly ducked behind an empty counter, watching the deal conspire in secret. She knew the risk of letting Igneous catching her in Diamondfrost at night, but the curiosity overwhelmed her. What was he doing out in Diamondfrost, of all Pokémon?

"For a price," he grumbled in response. Aurora noticed he held a tan fabric strap in his mouth. Was that her bag? "For a thousand Poké, you can have all the berries in this bag."

"A thousand?" repeated the little Meowstic. "I- I don't- Please, sir, I need these to help my partner. Eight hundred is all I have. Please, I'll do anything."

"Tough," Igneous snorted, "I need a thousand Poké, not eight hundred and a sob story. What'll it be?" Aurora had seen enough. She satisfied her curiosity, and suddenly her fear was overwhelmed by absolute disgust. She dashed forward, cloaked in bright white light, colliding into Igneous's side. The impact flung the bag from his jaw, spilling berries across the cobble street. Aurora nodded to the wide-eyed Psychic Pokémon, who gathered as many Oran berries as her arms could carry and fled.

Igneous regained his balance, locking eyes with her and unleashing Flamethrower at her feet, all without speaking a word. She jumped to avoid the attack, her palms glowing bright red-orange, landing Force Palm on the Houndoom as she fell. A shockwave ran through his body. "You think I don't recognize you?" he snarled, fighting his paralysis. Aurora gulped, freezing up. "You think I'm afraid of a ch-child like you? What kind of weakling do you take me for? A-answer me!"

Aurora took a deep breath. "I'm done letting you starve me!" she shouted. Igneous shivered.

"H-hush up, kid! You trying to get the both of us caught?" snapped Igneous. "You know what they'd do to Pokémon like us out here! Haven't I taught you anything?"

Aurora ignored him entirely. She was no fighting match for Igneous, and had but one tactic to defend herself. "I won't let you starve Shadow and I any longer!" Lights came on in nearby houses. Igneous rushed his breath.

"I- I knew you'd be more trouble than you were worth. I sh-should'a left you out in the woods, never took you in." He turned tail and staggered home, abandoning Aurora. She was far too tired to give chase. Her body was still shaking, her short fur standing on edge. For a moment, all she could will herself to do was watch the trees to make sure he wasn't coming back.

"There she is!" cheered a bright voice, and a Braixen scooped her up and lifted her into the air.

"Wh-wha?" was all she could choke out.

"You saved Mocha! And Mocha saved me! So thank you!" exclaimed the Braixen. Aurora's ears rang from the sheer volume of her voice.

"Sorry about Amber." Mocha shot Aurora a sympathetic gaze, and Aurora looked down to her and smiled. With a sigh, the Braixen let Aurora go. "Anyway, thanks for standing up for me. Is there any way I can repay you?" Mocha held out the eight hundred Poké she had offered up previously.

Aurora shook her head, pushing the money back to its owner. "Keep it. I don't need it." She noticed an orange cloth wrapped around the Pokémon's wrist, fastened with a strange pin with winglike extensions. Fascinated by it, she couldn't help but ask, "What is the pin on your wrist for?"

"What does she want?" asked Amber, fixed curiously on her partner. Their eyes met, and she nodded briefly, beaming. "Oh, the Explorer's Badge! We're a Rescue Team. Together, Mocha and I make up Team Solar Flare!" She took off her own cloth and unfurled it to display a white circular symbol with a burst coming out of one side. "Cool right?"

"Are you part of a guild?" asked Aurora. She knew she'd have to find someplace new to stay, and she recalled Shadow had always wanted to join a guild. Her eyes widened before she even got a response. "Shadow!" she cried, hastening for her bag. "I have to go, uh, could you two come with me?"

Mocha nodded to her teammate, and, although absolutely perplexed, accompanied Aurora back to her cabin. She flung the door wide open. "Shadow, wake up!" bellowed Aurora. He had been right where he was when Aurora left and Igneous wasn't anywhere to be seen; Aurora sighed out her tension. He snapped awake, jerking his head to face her.

"Aurora! What's wrong?" Shadow wailed, bounding up to her. "Do I need to put on an illusion?"

Aurora shook her head, putting her arms around him, consoling him. "We have to get out of here," she informed him, and turned back to Mocha. "You two are part of a guild, right? Could you take us there?"

"Of course," answered Mocha. She held out her Explorer's Badge, and gestured for Amber to do the same. "Put a paw on our badges, and you'll warp back to the guild with us."

Shadow's eyes sparkled. "Really?" he asked. "How does that wo- whoa!" he exclaimed. Aurora felt it too, the sense of floating off the ground, of her surroundings crumbling away from beneath her. When their environment materialized around them once more, they were at a shabby, pyramid-shaped brick building. Two windows were lit with torches on either side to resemble a pair of burning eyes, and four black spikes jutted from the ground at each corner like pillars. The entrance was wide open, no gates to keep anyone in or out.

"Our badges are affiliated with Duskrock guild, so we can use them to warp rescued Pokémon to the guild as well as warp ourselves to job request sites. Cool, huh?" Mocha explained.

"That's so cool!" answered Shadow, wagging his tail vigorously. "Do we get our own?" Aurora smiled. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen him so excited.

"Are they gonna stay with us?" Amber asked, staring eagerly at Mocha.

The Meowstic sighed, looking to Aurora. "I guess I should get the two of you enrolled, yeah?" She nodded to Amber and urged Aurora and Shadow to follow them inside.

"Obsidian! Micah! We're back! And we've got new recruits!" Amber hollered, knocking on the door before her. The guild felt small, and Aurora noticed only a ladder leading to a lower level occupied the little room.

A Midday Lycanroc greeted her, "Good to see the two of you back. We were worried with how late you two had been on that rescue mission."

Following him was a Midnight Lycanroc, yawning, "So how'd it go?"

"Well, about that," Mocha muttered, "Amber ended up fainting, and we had to abandon the mission. But we brought back two new recruits! Obsidian, this is Aurora and Shadow, they'd like to join the guild."

The Midnight Lycanroc turned his glowing red eyes to the Riolu and Zorua, pondering something. Aurora glanced at Shadow, who was visibly thrilled to even be considered for a guild, but she couldn't help but feeling like she was being sized up. He sighed, "Fair enough, come with me." He then turned to his chambers, a small room in the back of the guild. Micah followed him, urging them to do the same.

"So, a new rescue team, I have it? The two of you have never been explorers before?" Obsidian asked.

Aurora nodded. "We'd like to sign up to form one, though."

"And your names? Mocha said the two of you are Aurora and Shadow, right?"

"Yeah, that's us!" answered Shadow. "I'm Shadow, and she's Aurora."

"Thanks, and do you have any ideas for a team name?" Obsidian asked, "Or do you need some time to think of something?"

Aurora and Shadow faced each other. "Do you have any ideas?" offered Shadow. "I don't have anything."

"How about Team North Star?" Aurora suggested. "Since we're from the North and we're explorers?"

"That's great! Team North Star it is!" decided Shadow, smiling proudly. Aurora grinned.

Obsidian scrawled their name down on a tattered sheet of paper. Micah spoke up, "And lastly, you'll need a symbol to represent your team. I'll be printing it onto fabric for the two of you and any new teammates that join your team. You can even pick the color of fabric if you'd like."

"Would a gold star work? With a violet scarf?" Aurora asked.

Micah smiled warmly. "That works just fine. I'll have those prepared for you tomorrow. Until then, I'll show you two to your rooms. Obsidian, can you handle the rest on your own?" The Midnight Lycanroc nodded, gesturing with his paw for the other three to leave. Micah shut the door behind them, leading Aurora and Shadow to the lower level.

"Please try not to mind Obsidian too much, he's just tired," Micah reasoned. "He usually sleeps through the day, and since it's almost morning, he was about to doze off before you arrived. It's nothing you did. I promise he's much more lively when he's rested."

"Do we get our badges yet?" asked Shadow. "Are we gonna be exploring soon?"

Micah chuckled. "You'll get your badges when I'm done with your scarves, don't worry. You'll be out and exploring in no time." Micah cleared his throat. "Anyway, the tour. Right now, we're in the Main Hall, where everyone meets up in the mornings before setting off on their daily work. You'll see the bulletin boards around you are covered in job requests, and they're updated daily, so there's always something to do. To the left, you'll see the Dining Hall, where everyone eats breakfast in the morning and dinner when they get back from exploring. We've got a Pikachu in there who prepares all the food for everyone, he also doubles as the medic for the guild. If anyone gets seriously hurt on an exploration, he takes care of them. Finally, to your right are the bedrooms. If you follow me, I can show you to yours."

Micah led the two to a tiny room, even smaller than the upper level of the guild, occupied only by two piles of soft hay. "You can go ahead and take today to rest up, you'll be getting to work tomorrow. Though, I would suggest the two of you attend morning announcements in an hour or so."

"Thank you," Aurora sighed, collapsing into one of the hay piles.

"Yeah, Micah, thank you so much!" squealed Shadow, climbing into the other.

"Anytime!" Micah offered. "Always feel free to come to me if you have any other questions. You know where to find me!" Micah left their room for his office, and Shadow let out a pleased sigh.

"Can you believe it, Aurora? The two of us are in a real guild, on a real rescue team! I always hoped this day would come, but I never even dreamed it would!" Shadow rambled, and, as much as Aurora wanted to share in their achievement, she was restless. She wondered how long Igneous had starved Shadow before she came along, if Crimson knew anything about it, and, above all, what he needed the money for. Aurora's stomach turned when she imagined the profit he turned from letting his family go hungry. The only thing she was certain of was that she could never bring herself to tell Shadow. She was lucky enough that he hadn't asked about it. "Aren't you excited? Tomorrow we'll be going on our very first mission. I don't know how you can be sleeping, I can hardly wait!"

Aurora wished she could sleep.


	4. Chapter 3: Gloaming Town

There came a gentle knocking at their bedroom doorframe not an hour after Micah had left. Their room had no door and the Pikachu standing in the hallway was clearly visible, fidgeting nervously with the large glass lenses before his eyes. "Hello? You're the new recruits, correct?" He spoke kindly in soft tones, as if he was afraid to raise his voice.

"Yeah, that's us, and who are you?" asked Aurora.

"I'm Bolt, pleased to meet you," he answered quickly, a bit flustered, holding out a paw to greet the two. "I wanted to welcome the two of you to Duskrock Guild."

"You're not wearing a scarf," Shadow observed, "are you a new recruit, too?"

"Me?" The question came as a surprise to him, and he quickly retracted his arm. "No, not exactly, I've been living in this guild for a couple months now, but I don't do any rescue team work. I do the cooking around here, and the nursing." He chuckled a bit, scratching the back of his head. "I'm not really a recruit at all, actually."

"Oh yeah, Micah told us about you! So, what's for breakfast?" asked Shadow.

"Breakfast! Yes, that's what I came to you for, actually, to invite you to breakfast. I've roasted a few berries from the guild's stock," Bolt answered, stepping aside and waving for the two to follow him. "The other teams were already there, waiting on you two, so I came out to get you."

Micah, Mocha and Amber had waited patiently for the new recruits, but the other three Pokémon—a Nidorina, Mawile and Shuppet—had already served themselves and were far too invested in their meal to pay any mind to Aurora, Shadow and Bolt. Micah greeted the three with a smile as they entered and took their seats at the long dining table. Three plates of berries had already been set out for them.

"It seems everyone is here now, so, let's eat!" Micah announced, and the remaining members of the guild began to dig in. Shadow and Aurora had recklessly began shoveling charred berry after berry into their mouths, spilling juice and seeds all about. Neither of them had ever seen a meal so plentiful. They were the first to finish their breakfast, even before the three who had given themselves a head-start, who had stopped to watch the two and broke into a chorus of laughter when the last berry disappeared from their plates.

"Have the two of you never seen food before?" snickered the Mawile. Aurora shot her a glare.

"Goodness, you two, what's the hurry? The berries aren't going anywhere!" Amber joked, cackling. Her laugh somehow managed to beat out her voice in volume.

"They're just across the table from you, Amber," snapped the Nidorina, "you don't need to shout so loud. Good Giratina, you'll make us all go deaf."

"You watch it—" growled Mocha, and Amber had to restrain her from climbing over the table.

"You're hardly one to tell us to watch anything," countered the Nidorina, and her trio exploded into laughter once more.

"That's enough," insisted Micah. His voice, hardly above speaking level, managed to silence the entire room. "Aurora, Shadow, would you like seconds?"

"Hey, what's the big deal?" demanded the Shuppet, "The rest of us never get—" he cut himself off after a stern scowl from Micah.

"I would love seconds!" cheered Shadow, and Aurora nodded her agreement. The two had another plate of grilled berries each, and the guild finished their breakfast in silence afterward. Not a word was spoken until after everyone had left the dining hall and assembled into the main hall, forming a neat grid before Micah. Aurora and Shadow, unsure where to go, stood close to him.

"Good morning, everyone! I have some important news this morning," Micah announced gently, standing patiently in front of the ladder to the upper level. "I'm sure all of you have heard by now, but Duskrock Guild has recently had two new recruits, and I wanted to formally introduce everyone. These two are Aurora and Shadow, and together they form Team North Star. Would everyone else care to introduce themselves?"

"We've already met, but I'm Mocha, and this is my partner Amber," the Meowstic answered proudly, gesturing to her partner, "and we make up Team Solar Flare."

"I'm Rhie, and these are my partners," announced the Nidorina, gesturing to the Mawile and Shuppet beside her.

"Malice," declared the Mawile.

"Somna," the Shuppet stated.

"And together we make up Team Renegade, a Bronze Rank rescue team, don't forget it!"

"And I'm Bolt, I make sure everyone gets taken care of around here," Bolt introduced with a wave.

"Don't let the excitement distract you, though," Micah reminded, "today is still a busy day of work! Team Solar Flare and Team Renegade, you two will be taking on job requests as usual, and Bolt, I would appreciate if you could give Aurora and Shadow a tour of the nearby facilities. Does that sound acceptable?"

"Y-Yes, sir, I can take care of that!" Bolt agreed.

"Thank you, Bolt. That's all I have for announcements for this morning, so you all are dismissed." Micah retreated to his office, leaving everyone to their assignments. Team Renegade was quick to snatch a handful of sheets off the job post board and depart the guild, and Team Solar Flare followed soon afterward.

"Have either of you ever been here to Gloaming Town?" asked Bolt.

"Nope," answered Shadow, "we haven't even been to Diamondfrost Town."

"Really? I thought that was where Mocha and Amber said the two of you were from," the Pikachu muttered. Aurora held her tongue, a sickening feeling in her stomach. "I was hoping that was true, and that you'd know something about the rumors they went to investigate."

"Rumors? What rumors?" Aurora wondered.

"Oh, uh, it's nothing, really," he dismissed. "There's been talk of strong Pokémon popping up in regular mystery dungeons like Diamond's Peak, but nothing to confirm that. I was hoping that their investigation would shed some light on that, but I guess not. Anyhow, welcome! I grew up here, and my mom owns the local library, so if you ever need help getting around, you can always ask me. I know this place like the back of my paw."

The town itself wasn't particularly impressive. All buildings were constructed of stone and mortar, largely indistinguishable from one another outside of the signs that hung above their doors to identify them. Aurora noticed that the town was built similarly to Diamondfrost, although only the merchants' booths seemed to be wooden. A misty haze hung in the air. There were a couple Pokémon wandering the cobble streets and bargaining with merchants at this morning hour, though none seemed too busy.

"As you can see, Gloaming Town has several booths where merchants will come to sell goods to anyone who stops by. They usually have things like oran berries, reviver seeds and various orbs that are pretty useful to explorers like you two. There's different Pokémon at them every day, so you can always find new things for sale," explained Bolt. "There's also the inn up ahead, which provides a lot of useful services to travelers and explorers."

"Ooh, does it have a deposit box?" Shadow asked.

"Uh, yes, actually," Bolt muttered, a bit surprised, "have you been to an inn before?"

"Nope," Shadow chirped, "I've just read a lot about things explorers use when I was trying to get into a guild, and deposit boxes were really interesting to me. Do they really hold your same items in different places?"

Bolt nodded. "Yes, but they react to your badges to unlock, so you won't be able to use them until Micah gets those for you. You'll also see plenty of explorers from far off staying the night there for expeditions or faraway rescues. In the meantime, we could still stop in for lunch, if the two of you are interested."

"Sounds great!" Shadow exclaimed with a grin.

Aurora chuckled along. "I wouldn't mind lunch, either."

"Great!" Bolt cheered, approaching the wooden door beneath a large sign reading _INN_. He pushed it open, waiting for the Riolu and Zorua to pass through before rejoining them. Several round tables were scattered across the floor, occupied by several Pokémon of all shapes, sizes and colors. Most were far too occupied with their own conversations to notice the three little Pokémon enter. Behind a desk in the back was a Liepard, sitting patiently and looking a little bored when Bolt approached him.

"You again, Pikachu? What is it today?"

"Hi Selene," Bolt greeted, "could my two friends and I have a table for lunch?"

The dark Pokémon scowled down at him, stepping begrudgingly out of her desk. "I suppose," she growled, "follow me." Selene stepped toward an empty table, its surface still littered with the scraps of its previous customer. "And you'll be having?"

"A mago pie, please," ordered Bolt.

Selene rolled her eyes. "Coming up," she grumbled, and strutted off.

Aurora sighed. "Is she always like that?"

"Selene?" Bolt shook his head. "No, she's usually a lot more inviting, but typically her daughter is also running about. I worry that something might have happened to the little one, it would explain her hostility."

"Poor little thing, I hope she's okay," mumbled Shadow.

"But what about everyone at breakfast? Is everyone at the guild normally like that?" asked Aurora.

"Unfortunately," Bolt groaned. "Rhie's team loves nothing more than to pick on other members of the guild. Ever since they got promoted to bronze rank, they started acting tough, thinking they're better than everyone. What they said to Mocha and Amber was still a low blow, mocking them like that. It's not Amber's fault she can't hear, and Mocha can't help her eyes."

Bolt shook his head, just at the moment Selene arrived with their mago pie. "Your food," she hissed. "Eat it before it goes cold."

"Thank you," Aurora called after Selene had turned away from her table. She reached for a slice, as did Shadow, who devoured it faster than she could blink and reached out for another.

"If you don't mind me asking, if the two of you aren't from Diamondfrost, then where are you from?" asked Bolt.

"We don't live far out, actually," Aurora answered, "we live in a cabin in the woods just outside."

"Our parents just never wanted us going into town," Shadow added before another mouthful of pureed mago.

"The two of you are siblings? I never would've guessed," Bolt remarked.

The tricky fox Pokémon swallowed his final bite with a satisfied sigh, leaving the dish emptied. "Well, we actually took Aurora in after I found her out in the woods, all by herself. She didn't have anywhere else to go, so we took care of her like part of the family."

She smiled. "I woke up out there and I couldn't remember who I was, where I was or how I got there, so really I was lucky to have Shadow come along to help." She'd known that since the moment she woke up to Shadow, but somehow it felt strange to finally vocalize. Her amnesia had been the least of her issues up until now, and it felt almost selfish to bring it up. Even now, it didn't seem to her all that important.

"You couldn't remember a thing?" the Pikachu gaped. "Riolu and Lucario don't usually travel independent of a pack, that makes me really wonder what happened to you. And you don't have a clue about how you got there?"

"Nope," Aurora answered blankly, "I have no idea. It's a bit of why I wanted to join a rescue team with Shadow, so I might one day figure that out."

"Have you ever wanted to be on a rescue team, Bolt?" blurted Shadow.

"Me? Oh, no, oh no," he stammered meekly, shaking his head. "I mean, I've always been fascinated by the work they do, but I'm not cut out for that myself. Really, I'm happy to just work at the guild where I can support Pokémon who are. Honestly."

"Are you sure?" Shadow pressed. "You seem to know a lot about a lot of things, so you could really help us out in dungeons. And we're beginners, too, so you don't have to worry about not battling too well."

"You're sure? You don't think I'll be holding you two back too much?" he worried.

"Of course not," Aurora assured, "we could use all the help we can get."

The Pikachu chuckled awkwardly, "If you say so, I suppose. I'd be happy to join you."

"That settles that, then!" cheered Shadow, "When we get back to the guild, we'll have to let Micah know that you're a part of team North Star!"

"Speaking of, we'll have to be getting back soon. I have to be back before Mocha and Rhie's teams so there'll be dinner for them. I gotta pay Selene, too," Bolt realized, hopping to his feet. Aurora and Shadow followed him back to Selene's desk, where he dropped a handful of golden coins for her before dashing out.

It was still midday when the three returned to Duskrock guild, the sun still shining and the morning mist having long-since faded. Micah waited at the gate, serving as sentry while all his pupils were out. "Welcome back, Bolt. I trust everything went well?"

He nodded confidently. "I had a question for you, though. Would I be able to join Aurora and Shadow's rescue team?"

Micah's eyes went wide, though his stare was still soft. "Bolt, I have no problem with you joining a rescue team, but what about your responsibilities here at the guild? I wouldn't want that to hold you back, but there's only so much Obsidian and I can do."

"I can still cook, and take care of everyone, really!" promised Bolt, a bit desperately. "I swear I'll do everything I can around here!"

Micah smiled, shaking his head. "Don't stress yourself over it. If you want to join team North Star so badly, you're more than welcome. I'll have a scarf and badge ready for you tomorrow morning along with Aurora and Shadow's, and I'll look for someone who can take over your duties in your absence."

"Really?" Bolt squealed, "Thank you so much, Micah! I'll get right on dinner, I won't let you down!" He hopped through the gate immediately, disappearing into the lower level. With a smile and nod to their guildmaster, they followed him into the guild and relaxed in the main hall. They only had a couple brief moments of peace and quiet, however, before a familiar voice sounded behind them.

"The two of you are back already?" the Nidorina sneered. Aurora and Shadow jumped, turning quickly around. "What, did I scare you or something?"

"No," insisted Shadow, his fur standing on edge, claws digging into the dirt floor.

Rhie cackled, "Look at the two of you. Pathetic! I was hoping the new recruits would've been tough, but you're even weaker than I thought." Somna and Malice laughed along.

"We're not weak," Aurora insisted. "At least we don't have to push around other Pokémon to show it."

The three were rendered speechless. Malice and Somna exchanged a nervous glance as the Nidorina closed the distance between Aurora and herself. "What was that? What did you say, just then?"

Aurora cleared her throat. "I said we don't need to pick on others to know we're tough."

"Is that so?" Rhie hissed, "If you're so tough, how about you prove it?" She drew her arm back, her claws glowing a deep, venomous violet. Aurora jumped out of the way just as Rhie lashed forward, forcing her poison jab to strike uselessly into the dust beneath her feet. She glared up at the Riolu. "You think you're so hot, don't you? I bet you haven't even been on a proper exploration. How about you go into Crepuscule Cavern? If you can make it all the way through there, I'll admit you and your trembling teammate aren't so wimpy after all."

Aurora looked to her brother, who was quivering just as Rhie had said. He looked on the verge of tears. She nodded in response. "We'll do it."

The Nidorina smirked. "First thing tomorrow morning, head into the pit on the outskirts of town. Bring back a gem from the depths of the cave by sundown, and I won't pick on you or your friend, no matter how feeble you are."

"Deal."


End file.
